If you have always loved the idea of growing your own flowering plants but do not have the space outside to do so, you may have turned to buying houseplants in order to get your floral fix. Houseplants can be a lot of work, especially the flowering kind, because it can be tricky to give them the conditions they need in the home.
Often, flowering plants need high levels of humidity that can be problematic in the indoor environment, or you simply may not have enough natural sunlight coming in through the windows to encourage the development of flowers. Hibiscus plants are a good example of this because they will grow beautiful lush foliage in moderate light, but will only bloom if they are able to get at least some direct sunlight each day.
There is a solution for anyone who wants to guarantee beautiful blooms from their plants grown indoors: hydroponics. Rather than growing your plants potted in soil, you can try growing them the soil-free way indoors using hydroponic techniques. When done right, hydroponics will help you get the absolute best out of your plants, and are much more likely to get larger and more abundant flowers.
Whether you want to enjoy them as growing plants or intend to cut the flowers to display in your home or give as a gift, flowers are hugely rewarding to grow. Growing your own means you will have more choice over which species and colours you want to cultivate which means you can get creative with your combinations.
Orchids are a long time botanical favourite of many people. They were popularised in the UK during the Victorian era where collectors would part with huge sums of money to get their hands on rare species. This still rings true today, though there are far more species and subspecies available thanks to selective breeding programmes all over the world.
These bright, cheery flowers are a staple of summer bouquets and will perform extremely well in a hydroponics setup. They like a nice warm room and plenty of water, but they don’t require excessive humidity. These flowering plants of the aster family produce round, open blooms in a range of attractive, bright colours and each flower lasts for weeks if left on the plant rather than being cut. They are also perfectly suited for growing in aeroponics systems too.
A scented carnation is a classic flower and they are extremely easy to grow hydroponically. In shades of pink, red and white, carnations are lovely for making a simple summer bouquet and they last a long time. Their foliage is rather unremarkable so you might prefer to grow these for their flowers and then cut them just before they’re ready to open.
The peace lily is a well loved and iconic houseplant that is known for acting in a dramatic way if you don’t water it on time. Even a delay of a day can make these plants wilt spectacularly and when that happens it is important to give them a really good soak to revive them. It is no wonder that such a thirsty plant will do well when grown hydroponically because this way they will have access to all the water they need on a daily basis which puts drought out of the question.
Most of us have probably grown a hyacinth bulb in a vase of water on a windowsill. They can grow surprisingly well this way, but unless you are growing them in a dedicated hydroponics system you will not be able to get the best out of them. When grown hydroponically, you will see larger blooms that last for longer, and healthier plants that will produce more flowering stems than when they are left in water with little to no dissolved nutrients and oxygen.
These are just a few of the stunning plants that can be grown using hydroponics in UK homes and there are many more you can look forward to growing in this way. If you have a favourite flowering plant then a quick Google search will let you know whether it can be grown in this kind of system and you can go from there with your research before giving it a go.